Computing @ Mines

Computer Commons Main Entry Photo

Departments within Computing, Communications, and Information Technologies (CCIT) operate and provide a broad array of resources and services to support your computing needs. You will find that computing is integrated into the curriculum in both traditional and unique ways. Our computing environment can be a tool to help you be more productive and a vehicle to help you innovate and create. Read on for more information and then visit the CCIT web site. If you'd like to know more about computing resources and requirements for new students, read this FAQ.

Computing Commons Lab

Even if you bring your own computer, you'll still want to use the Computer Commons and other labs between classes to check your email, work on assignments, access special software, and work on projects with friends and classmates.

Your residence hall room or campus apartment will have a fast network connection available for you to directly connect your computer to the Mines network.

Wireless access is available throughout the residence halls, Mines Park and the main campus so you can connect your mobile devices while you're on-the-go around campus.

All students get an email account, along with accounts on central servers and the campus portal, Trailhead. Trailhead is your gateway to services such as registration, drop-add, scheduling and the Mines Emergency Alert System.

A Computer Commons area with open lab computers is available for you to use between classes, in the evenings and on weekends. The computers there probably have the special software you might need for class and...

you can print in black and white or color up to 11x17 (sorry, you gotta pay for printing)

you can print posters for those presentations you'll be giving (yeah, gotta pay for these too)

there are scanners and other kinds of special equipment you can use

you can study with your friends or classmates in our study rooms

you can bring your laptop and use the study tables or relax on the lounge furniture in the Commons

you can get help with computer problems and questions from student consultants and professional staff

there are kiosks you can use to check your email or do a quick web search

you can borrow a laptop for a short period if you're giving a presentation, traveling or if your computer is being repaired

you can borrow a projector if you're giving a presentation in a room that doesn't have one

you can visit the Einstein's Bagels shop next to the Commons for a cup of coffee or a snack

during the academic year the Commons is open until midnight from Sunday to Thursday, till six on Friday and five on Saturdays. Additional hours are added the week before final exams.

An open lab area in the Arthur Lakes Library is available with computers loaded with all the same software you'll find in the Computer Commons.

Most computer teaching classrooms and many general classrooms have projectors, instructor computers, Smartboard™ electronic whiteboards, document cameras and other technologies to help enhance your learning experience.

Introductory physics courses are taught in a "studio" format where students work in teams on structured activities in a well-equipped laboratory with the latest teaching tools. Studio biology was recently introduced too.

Many courses make use of online learning management systems such as Blackboard™ and LON-CAPA to complement in-class activities.

RA, CSM's High Performance Computer

Computer teaching labs and workrooms are available in most academic buildings, many with specialized software to support specific academic programs.

Mines has two high performance computer systems used primarily to support research activities and selected education programs. Mio is an Intel-based system with nodes acquired and contributed by individual researchers but centrally managed with shared storage and other infrastructure. It currently tops out at about 23 teraflops. BlueM is a dual architecture environment consisting of IBM BlueGene/Q and IBM iDataplex systems with performance topping out at 154 teraflops. It totals 10,496 cores, 17.4 terabytes of memory, and 480 terabytes of disk storage.